Mark Twain has created many fantastical classics that are still read today. “The Prince and the Pauper” is one of them. It greatly displays the hidden truths of reality from both sides of the societal coin.

First, the story begins with Tom Canty, a pauper boy living in squander in the city. He meets Prince Edward and, after realizing the two boys look exactly alike, decides to switch clothes for a lark. That is, until, Tom Canty is mistaken as the prince and is carried away by royal guardsmen, leaving the real prince out on the streets.

What follows is the journey of Prince Edward aiming to gain his royalty back before it is too late and Tom Canty is crowned king. Along the way, Edward meets Miles Hendon, a man who believes Edward’s lunatic story of the mix-up. Thankful, Edward assists Hendon in tandem.

Meanwhile, at the palace, Tom Canty lives in luxury for the very first time. Albeit he is given whatever he desires, Tom Canty realizes he cannot leave the premises without chaperone guardsmen, realizing that even though he could have the world, there is no true freedom in the role of royalty. Mark Twain excellently shows the juxtaposition between the social classes with epiphanies that take the characters by surprise.

“The Prince and the Pauper” was a very enjoyable read. The work has been heavily parodied since its creation, and it will continue to be a great, classic work from Mark Twain’s time.